Crossing the Barrier Read Online Free PDF Page A

advantage.
    “And how was your day, Beatrice?” Lily continued just as pleasantly.
    “Oh, marvelous,” she answered, waving her hand in a dismissing gesture.
    The man looked at Beatrice with a raised eyebrow; Lily knew he was seeing her mother for who she really was, and Lily took an instant liking to him. This man was man enough not to be completely bedazzled by Beatrice’s charms.
    “Would you care to join us?” Beatrice asked, even if it was the last thing she wanted.
    “No, thank you. I have a prior engagement with a hot shower.”
    “Oh, shame. Have a good night.”
    Beatrice promptly turned around and smiled at the man who was now frowning openly.
    “Thank you,” Lily said, losing her smile and turning toward the stairway.
    She had reached the top of the stairs and was out of sight when the man spoke.
    “Beatrice, she just told you she spent the day in the hospital with a head injury, and you pretended nothing happened.”
    Lily had felt his puzzlement and offense all the way up the stairs.
    “Of course she hasn’t. Don’t be fooled by her; she’s a compulsive liar.”
    “Oh really? How do you explain the blood in her hair, on the side of her neck, and on the back of her shirt?”
    “There was no blood, Robert,” she said, laughing.
    When Lily felt his dismay, she thought he was way too decent for Beatrice. She wondered whether he had kids of his own, kids he actually cared about and loved.
    “I think I should go,” he said slowly. “I have to work tomorrow.”
    With a small smile, Lily walked away. It wouldn’t do for Beatrice to see her if the man put his words into actions. It was a nasty thought, but Lily felt a sense of sweet justice. Beatrice didn’t give a hoot about her, and maybe now she would know how it felt to be given the cold shoulder herself.
     
    Lily had just finished showering and was trying to comb her hair when the doorbell rang. A few moments later, Sandra walked into her room without knocking.
    It was not the first time Sandra had shown up at her house right on cue. Sandra, who lived across the street, had confided to Lily a long time ago that she used the lights in Lily’s bedroom and bathroom as an indication Lily was home and available.
    “What happened to you?” Sandra asked, sitting on the bed and putting a bundle next to her. “No one would say, and I had your phone.”
    How Lily envied her friend’s height. She could easily sit on Lily’s bed while Lily, from her five foot one, had to jump on it.
    Lily looked at the bundle and, in addition to her phone, found her clarinet and her music book.
    “I was run over by Malakai Thomas,” she answered.
    The curiosity pouring from Sandra made Lily want to spill out everything in one winded sentence.
    “You’ve got to explain that one to me. Malakai Thomas? The drop-dead-gorgeous-you’ve-had-a-crush-on-since-freshman-year Malakai Thomas?”
    “Well, I don’t remember what happened, really,” Lily said lightly. She paused for effect. “Malakai told me when he visited me in the hospital.”
    Sandra’s jaw dropped. “Okay! Now I want the full story.”
    “There’s nothing to it,” Lily said, grabbing her phone from the bed. She swiped the screen and searched for any missed calls or texts before putting it on the nightstand.
    “I’m still waiting for my story,” Sandra said after a few moments of silence, her tone implying she would have tapped her foot if she were standing.
    Lily repeated what Malakai had told her about the accident.
    “So, what else happened?” Sandra prompted when Lily wouldn’t add more. “I mean, Malakai visited you in the hospital, right? What did you talk about?”
    Curiosity was killing her friend, but mentioning the hospital reminded Lily of the precarious situation she now found herself in.
    “I…I can’t shield anymore,” she dropped instead of answering. At the thought of it, her heartbeat picked up again.
    “That could be a problem. Do you think it’s a result of your